Saturday, December 3

Australian Christmas Carols

At the time I grew up as a child Australia was more “English” than the English. We sang traditional English Christmas carols and songs about a winter wonderland each Christmas despite it being in the height of our hot summer. Our parents slaved over a hot stove to serve up our piping hot Christmas family dinner with plum pudding appropriate to any English household blanketed in snow.

At this time the landscape in Australia fades to brown, and is fanned by hot Northerly winds”, which herald the beginning of the ever present threat of raging bush fires. Australia is a fragile land and one of the driest on planet earth.

The summer heat brings with it an increased chorus from our birds who loudly proclaim the new seasons bush flowers. At that time we would head for the beach or plan family picnics alongside cool streams by shaded trees.

Australian Composer John Wheeler captures that reality with these evocative words as Christmas carols, which I like to sing each year. “Orana” is an aboriginal word meaning “Welcome”. Here are 3 of his carols

Carol of the Birds

Out on the planes the Brolgas are dancingLifting their feet like war horses prancingUp to the sun the wood larks go wingingFaint in the dawn light echoes their singingOrana! Orana! Orana to Christmas day

Down where the tree ferns grow by the riverThere where the waters sparked and quiverDeep in the gullies Bell birds are chimingSoftly and sweetly their lyrics notes rhyming‘Orana! Orana! to Christmas Day

The North Wind is tossing the leavesThe red dust is over the townThe sparrows are under the EavesAnd the grass in the paddock is brown

As we lift up our voices and singTo the Christ child the heavenly King

The tree ferns in green gullies swayThe cool stream’s flow silently byThe joy bells are greeting the dayAnd the chimes are adrift in the sky

As we lift up our voices and singTo the Christ Child the heavenly king

How about 3 wise drovers!!

Across the plains one Christmas night, 3 drovers riding by ….and gayLooked up and saw a starry light, more radiant than the Milky WayAnd on their hearts such wonder fell, they sang with joy “Noell Noell”

The air was dry with summer heat and smoke was on the yellow moonBut from the heavens faint and sweet came floating down a wondrous tuneAnd as they heard the sang full well, those Drovers 3 “Noell Noell”

The black swans flew across the sky, the wild dog called across the plainThe starry lustre blazed on high, still echoed on the heavenly strainAnd still they sang “Noell Noell ” those drovers 3 “Noell Noell”

6 comments:

From one opera fan to another. Good morning - at least here in Merced, CA. I just read your comment at maison madcap and added my two cents.

I'm wondering about the melody to these carols. I have a beat up elderly piano (kind of like me) and three great-granddaughters who are becoming a little bored with Frosty and Rudolph. It would also be nice for them to know that Waltizing Matilda and Kookaburra are not the only songs Australians sing.

They know in theory that Australia's seasons are opposite of ours but the carol about the black swans would reinforce it.

I have a small, family friendly blog. We talk a lot about kids, some politics (flaming liberal me), and just generally chat back and forth. Very different from yours, I'm afraid, but we have fun.

Except for the day before yesterday when I was "flamed". Ouch.

Love to see you there or if you feel like helping me out with those melodies, I can be reached at ann.adams95340@gmail.com

Those are lovely tunes that give a sense of the sacred and a sense of place... the Huron Carol was written in Canada in 1643 (in the Huron Indian language and later in English). It's sung often in churches at Christmas.

The Huron Carol ('Twas In The Moon of Winter Time)

'Twas in the moon of wintertime when all the birds had fledThat mighty Gitchi Manitou sent angel choirs instead;Before their light the stars grew dim and wondering hunters heard the hymn,Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria.

Within a lodge of broken bark the tender babe was found;A ragged robe of rabbit skin enwrapped his beauty roundBut as the hunter braves drew nigh the angel song rang loud and highJesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria.

The earliest moon of wintertime is not so round and fairAs was the ring of glory on the helpless infant there.The chiefs from far before him knelt with gifts of fox and beaver pelt.Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria.

O children of the forest free, O seed of ManitouThe holy Child of earth and heaven is born today for you.Come kneel before the radiant boy who brings you beauty peace and joy.Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria.

thanks Gary for the posting, its great to hear those words linked to your majestic countryside -of rabbit skins fox and beaver pelts linked in to the traditional christmas message !! I understand death came to this stalwart blackrobe in 1649. I read his story with great interest. He was certainly a brave man, an adventurer, a writer, a man for his times who became a martyr. Someone you could admire.

VBI might do a posting on the most exciting christams of all as a child, my present ----a glorious repainted Bicyle !!

About Me

I have worked in the roles as Company Secretary or Divisional financial executive with larger Australian based multinational companies before changing careers in favour of sales and marketing for the latter 12 years of business life.
My particular interests include corporate social responsibility, ethics and research into more sustainable business practices.
I am a fellow of CPA Australia and an Associate member of the Governance Institute of Australia which was previously called the Chartered Secretaries Australia. I am chairman of the Malawi Support group who are a small group of catholic parishioners who raise funds to support a sister parish in Malawi.